Truck rooftop tent.

Abstract

A hard-shell tent is secured to the top of a pickup truck or other suitable vehicle. The tent opens in a clamshell manner, and opens more than the standard 90 degrees, which gives this tent approximately 20% more usable space for occupants over the current designs. A unique hinge mechanism allows the tent to open approximately 110 degrees, which increases the usable area without increasing the footprint of the tent. The tent features a side slide/second folding section, and one or more internal shelves that fold into place automatically as the tent is opened.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A tent, consisting of a top portion, an inner fold-out section, wherein the inner fold-out section has a fold-out base, a base, a tent body, an internal frame, one or more securing straps, and a hinge, wherein the top is hingeably connected to the bottom, and the one or more securing straps attaches the base to a vehicle. 
     
     
         2 . The tent of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge rotates more than 90 degrees and creates a first interior volume of X square feet. 
     
     
         3 . The tent of  claim 2 , wherein the hinge rotates approximately 110 degrees and creates a second interior volume of at least 1.2X square feet. 
     
     
         4 . The tent of  claim 3 , wherein the top portion comprises a pull rope, wherein a user pulls the pull rope to rotate the top portion in an outward direction from the base, wherein a ladder is attached to the inner fold-out section, wherein the ladder is used to rotate the inner fold-out section in an opposition direction from the outward direction that the top portion is rotated, wherein the internal frame is rotated from a collapsed position to an extended position as the top portion and the inner fold-out section are rotated, wherein the ladder is a telescoping ladder, wherein the telescoping latter supports an outer ridge of the fold out base, wherein the internal frame in the extended position supports the tent body. 
     
     
         5 . The tent of  claim 4 , wherein the tent has a folded version and a compressed version, wherein in the compressed version, the top is removably attached to the bottom, such that the tent body is held below the top and above the bottom, and wherein in an expanded version the top serves as a front of the tent. 
     
     
         6 . The tent of  claim 5 , wherein when in an expanded version, the tent offers approximately 20% more usable space than it would have had had it used a 90-degree hinge rather than a 110-degree hinge. 
     
     
         7 . The tent of  claim 6 , wherein the tent additionally comprises a side slide. 
     
     
         8 . The tent of  claim 6 , wherein the tent additionally comprises at least one internal shelf, wherein the at least one internal shelf opens automatically as the tent is converted from the compressed version to the expanded version. 
     
     
         9 . The tent of  claim 6 , wherein the tent attaches to a roof rack of a vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The tent of  claim 6 , wherein the tent attaches to a trailer top of a trailer. 
     
     
         11 . A vehicle tent, comprising a top portion, an inner fold-out section, wherein the inner fold-out section has a fold-out support, a base, a tent body, an internal frame, one or more securing straps, and a hinge, wherein the top is hingeably connected to the bottom, and the one or more securing straps attaches the base to a vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle tent of  claim 11 , wherein the fold-out support is a sliding rack, wherein the sliding rack is attached via a track to the base. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle tent of  claim 11 , wherein the fold-out support is a fold-out base, wherein the fold-out base is attached to an underside of the inner fold-out section. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle tent of  claim 13 , wherein the hinge rotates 90 degrees. and creates a first interior volume of X square feet. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle tent of  claim 13 , wherein the hinge rotates more than 90 degrees. and creates a second interior volume of greater than X square feet. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle tent of  claim 13 , wherein the hinge rotates approximately 110 degrees. and creates a third interior volume of at least 1.2X square feet. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle tent of  claim 16 , wherein the top portion comprises a pull rope, wherein a user pulls the pull rope to rotate the top portion in an outward direction from the base, wherein a ladder is attached to the inner fold-out section, wherein the ladder is used to rotate the inner fold-out section in an opposition direction from the outward direction that the top portion is rotated, wherein the internal frame is rotated from a collapsed position to an extended position as the top portion and the inner fold-out section are rotated, wherein the ladder supports an outer ridge of the fold out base, wherein the internal frame in the extended position supports the tent body. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle tent of  claim 17 , wherein the tent has a folded version and a compressed version, wherein in the compressed version, the top is removably attached to the bottom, such that the tent body is held below the top and above the bottom, and wherein in an expanded version the top serves as a front of the tent. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle tent of  claim 18 , wherein the tent additionally comprises at least one internal shelf, wherein the at least one internal shelf opens automatically as the tent is converted from the compressed version to the expanded version. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle tent of  claim 19 , wherein the vehicle is a truck and the tent attaches to a roof rack of the truck. 
     
     
         21 . The vehicle tent of  claim 19 , wherein the vehicle is a trailer and the tent attaches to a trailer top of the trailer. 
     
     
         22 . The vehicle tent of  claim 19 , wherein the ladder is a telescoping ladder 
     
     
         23 . A method of assembling a vehicle tent, comprising the steps of first, securing a vehicle tent to a vehicle, wherein the vehicle tent comprises a top portion, an inner fold-out section, wherein the inner fold-out section has a fold-out support, a base, a tent body, an internal frame, one or more securing straps, and a hinge, wherein the top is hingeably connected to the bottom, and the one or more securing straps attaches the base to a vehicle, wherein the fold-out support is a fold-out base, wherein the fold-out base is attached to an underside of the inner fold-out section, wherein the hinge rotates more than 90 degrees, wherein the top portion comprises a pull rope, wherein a ladder is attached to the inner fold-out section,
 a second step, wherein a user pulls the pull rope to rotate the top portion in an outward direction from the base,   a third step, wherein the user pulls the ladder to rotate the inner fold-out section in an opposition direction from the outward direction that the top portion is rotated,   wherein, the internal frame is rotated from a collapsed position to an extended position as the top portion and the inner fold-out section are rotated, wherein the ladder supports an outer ridge of the fold out base, wherein the internal frame in the extended position supports the tent body.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the tent has a folded version and a compressed version, wherein in the compressed version, the top is removably attached to the bottom, such that the tent body is held below the top and above the bottom, and wherein in an expanded version the top is as a front of the tent. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the tent additionally comprises at least one internal shelf, wherein the at least one internal shelf opens automatically as the tent is converted from the compressed version to the expanded version. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the vehicle is a truck and the tent attaches to a roof rack of the truck. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the vehicle is a trailer and the tent attaches to a trailer top of the trailer. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the ladder is a telescoping ladder. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the hinge rotates 90 degrees. and creates a first interior volume of X square feet. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the hinge rotates more than 90 degrees. and creates a second interior volume of greater than X square feet. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the hinge rotates approximately 110 degrees. and creates a third interior volume of at least 1.2X square feet.